Short-term adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines after the first, second, and booster doses: a cross-sectional survey from Punjab, Pakistan, and the implications

ABSTRACT Background: Safety and efficacy concerns regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are common among the public and have a negative impact on their uptake. We aimed to report the adverse effects currently associated with the vaccine in Pakistan to build confidence among the population for its adoption. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in five districts of the Punjab province of Pakistan between January and March 2022. The participants were recruited using convenience sampling. All data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Results: We recruited 1622 people with the majority aged between 25-45 years. Of these, 51% were female, including 27 pregnant women and 42 lactating mothers. Most participants had received the Sinopharm (62.6%) or Sinovac (17.8%) vaccines. The incidences of at least one side effect after the first (N = 1622), second (N = 1484), and booster doses (N = 219) of the COVID-19 vaccine were 16.5%, 20.1%, and 32%, respectively. Inflammation/erythema at the injection site, pain at the injection site, fever, and bone/muscle pain were common side effects of vaccination. No significant differences were observed in the adverse effect scores between all demographic variables except for pregnancy (P = 0.012) after the initial dose. No significant association was observed between any variable and the side effect scores of the second and booster doses of the vaccine. Conclusions: Our study showed a 16-32% prevalence of self-reported side effects after the first, second, and booster COVID-19 vaccinations. Most adverse effects were mild and transient, indicating the safety of different COVID-19 vaccines.

Patient safety culture at the unit level of a tertiary hospital in South Africa: a survey study

Background. Patient safety research is scarce in developing countries. Estimates of patient harm due to healthcare processes in resource-poor settings are thought to be greater than those in developed countries. Ideally, errors in healthcare should be seen as opportunities to improve the future quality of care. Objective. This study aimed to investigate patient safety culture within high-risk units of a tertiary hospital in South Africa. Methods. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional methodology, using a survey questionnaire that measured 10 safety dimensions and one outcome measure among clinical and nursing staff, was employed. Results. Two hundred participants completed the survey questionnaire. Areas of strength identified by the participants included organizational learning (91.09%), staff attitudes (88.83%), and perceptions of patient safety (76.65%). Dimensions that have potential for improvement included awareness and training (74.04%), litigation (73.53%), feedback and communication about errors (70.77%), non-punitive response to error reporting (51.01%), size and tertiary level of the hospital (53.76%), and infrastructure and resources (58.07%). The only dimension identified as weak was teamwork and staffing (43.72%). In terms of the patient safety grade, respondents graded their own units highly but graded the hospital as a whole as having a poor patient safety grade. Conclusion. There are still significant gaps in the quality of care provided at this tertiary hospital. The current patient safety culture is perceived as punitive in nature with regard to reporting adverse events. It is advised that targeted patient safety improvements be made, followed by further investigation

Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety among university students of health sciences in Brazil: findings and implications / Prevalência e fatores associados à ansiedade entre universitários de ciências da saúde no Brasil: achados e implicações

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety disorders among university students of health sciences at Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study between March to June 2019. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire including sociodemographic, academic, family and behavioral issues. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to assess anxiety. Estimates were obtained through the prevalence ratio and Poisson multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Four hundred and ninety-three students participated with a mean age of 23.1 and predominantly women (79.9%). All students had some degree of anxiety, with the frequency of the severe, moderate and mild forms being 28.0%, 29.8% and 27.0%, respectively. The factors associated with anxiety included having suffered psychological and/or physical violence in childhood, having suicidal thoughts, having a deceased parent, living with parents, being dissatisfied with the course and being in the exam period. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of anxiety was high in our study and family problems prior to entering university seem to significantly influence the degree of anxiety, which may compromise the student's academic and social performance.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo foi avaliar a prevalência e os fatores associados aos transtornos de ansiedade em estudantes universitários de ciências da saúde da Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, entre março e junho de 2019. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário autoaplicável, incluindo questões sociodemográficas, acadêmicas, familiares e comportamentais. O Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck foi usado para avaliar a ansiedade. As estimativas foram obtidas por meio da razão de prevalência e análise multivariada de Poisson. RESULTADOS: Participaram 493 alunos com idade média de 23,1 anos e predominância do sexo feminino (79,9%). Todos os alunos apresentaram algum grau de ansiedade, sendo a frequência da forma grave, moderada e leve de 28,0%, 29,8% e 27,0%, respectivamente. Os fatores associados à ansiedade foram: ter sofrido violência psicológica e/ou física na infância, ter pensamentos suicidas, ter pai falecido, morar com os pais, ter insatisfação com o curso e estar em período de provas. CONCLUSÕES: A prevalência de ansiedade foi elevada em nosso estudo e os problemas familiares anteriores ao ingresso na universidade parecem influenciar significativamente no grau de ansiedade, podendo comprometer o desempenho acadêmico e social do discente.

The use of probiotics as a supplementary therapy in the treatment of patients with asthma: a pilot study and implications

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the use of probiotics as an additional therapy in the treatment of children and adolescents with asthma in Belo Horizonte, MG-Brazil. METHODS: A pilot longitudinal, experimental and nonrandomized study with 30 patients from six to 17 years old from Belo Horizonte. In the baseline appointment, all patients received beclomethasone, and one group also received a probiotic containing Lactobacillus reuteri (n=14). The patients were reassessed after at least 60 days with the Asthma Control Test, spirometry and self-report of the symptoms they experienced associated with asthma. RESULTS: A predominance of male patients (56.7%) and a mean age of 10.6 years were observed. The groups using probiotics did not differ in terms of sex, age or atopy. In the longitudinal evaluation, an increase in the Asthma Control Test scores and a reduction in the number of symptoms were observed in the probiotic group. There was an increase in the peak expiratory flow among those who used probiotics. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study supports the hypothesis that the administration of probiotics as a supplementary therapy for the treatment of children and adolescents with asthma improves the clinical condition of the patients. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of probiotics in asthma treatment.